Improvement in sleeping-cars



E. ROBINSON. Sleeping-Car.

Patented .lune 1I, 1878.

mylimilw N PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER wAsHxNGToN D C UNITED STATESPATENT OEETcE.

EDWARD ROBINSON, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO THE WOODRUFFSLEEPING CAR AND PARLOR COACH COMPANY, OF

PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SLEEPING-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,681, datedJune 11,1878; application filed April 5, 1878.

.To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD ROBINSON, of Wilmington, county of NewCastle, State of Delaware, have invented or discovered a new and usefulImprovement in Sleeping -Cars; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, consise, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of thisspecification, in which-like letters indicating like parts- Figure l isa perspective view of a portion of a sleeping-car illustrative of myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through onesection, illustrating the arrangement of seats and backs. Fig. 3 is asectional view through x x of Fig. 1, showing the upper berth-framestowed away, but with seats and backs not in place. Fig. 4 is a backviewr of the seat-back, and Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the seat.

The present invention, while applicable in some or all of its featuresto sleeping-cars generally, relates more particularly to certainimprovements in the class of sleeping-cars referred to in PatentsReissue No. 6,019 and originals Nos. 147,538 and 147,539. Features notherein otherwise described may be made as set forth in said patents oras otherwise known in the art.

In the present improvement the upper berth platform or frame is made inthree folds instead of in two, such improved construction beingrepresented at a al a2. These folds or sections are hinged to eachother, so as to be folded together and stowed away in a recess, A, inthe side of the car beneath the windows, as represented in Fig. 3, andthe exposed face of the outside fold is upholstered, as represented ata3 in Fig. 1, so as to present the desired exterior nished appearance.The object I have in view in making this change is more particularly toadapt the Jonah Woodruif improvement for convenient use in a carin whichthe seats and backs are employed for making the lower berth frame orplatform, since, when such use is made of the latter, it is importantthat the recess A in the side of the car have a less vertical depth thanwhen the seats and backs are folded down onto the car-floor, as in theJonah Woodruff patents above referred to. In this wayI secure theadvantages of the J onah Woodru construction of upper berth-platform,and dispense with the necessity of using a separate lowerberth-platform. This upper berth-platform is secured to and supported byswinging posts c c and lugs or hooks c' c', substantially as describedin Patent No. 147 ,539, or in other equivalent way, and has a likeswinging motion in being placed in position for night service, or beingstowed away to adapt the car for day service. Devices for attaching theposts c o to or connecting them with the partitions b or the seat-framesmay be varied at pleasure.

In connection with this part of my invention I employ any knownconstruction or arrangement of seats and backs wherein such seats andbacks are used for making a lower berth frame or platform; but I haveadded to such seats and backs as heretofore constructed and used otherfeatures of improvement.

The seats B have on their under side the cleats e el, which, when thecar is arranged for day service, engage the front and rear upper edgesof the foot-board b', as shown in Fig. 2, and thereby the seat is heldsecurely in its proper place. To shift it to the proper position fornight service, its front edge is raised slightly, and it is shiftedforward until the cleats e2 engage the rear upper edge of thefoot-board, as also shown in Fig. 2, and it is now held in the properadjustment to form part of a lower berth platform or frame. Forconvenience in sliding it back, the cleats cl have each an inclinedface, as shown in Fig. 5, so that they will slide readily over the upperedge of the foot-board b', and drop into position. The inner or wall endof the seat, in both adjustments, is supported on the continuous siderail or ledge n, usually employed for that purpose. The outer end whenused as a seat is supported on a rail or ledge, nl, Fig. 3, and in itsother adjustment it is supported in part by a lon gitudinally-slidingbar, g, which, sliding in a groove of the rail n' or in other suitableguides or supports, may be drawn out and slid back as may be necessary.

It is common to hinge backs to seats, and

also to rest the lower edges of the former on the rear edges of thelatter, in adjustments for day service. I prefer, however, to give tothe Seat-backs an independent support. To this end I attach to the rearface of each seatback I) a cleat, s, in such position that when theseat-back is shifted to a horizontal position to form a part of thelower berth frame or platform, such cleats will come between or insidethe end supports. l attach them, however, in an inclined position, sothat a hinged extension, s', attached thereto, will, when turned over,rest on the side rails or in a notch or shoe, i, iliade for the purpose,Figs. .2 and 4, and will thereby give the seat-back the desired support;but when the seat-back is to be thrown down into place for making a partof the lower berth frame or platform, these evA tensions s are foldedback onto the cleats s, as shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 4 and theleft-hand end ot' Fig. 2, so as to collie within or inside the sidesupporting rails or ledges.

As an additional feature of improvement, I make a pocket, d, in the sidewall of the car, preferably in the bottom of the recess A. This pocketmay consist of a recess or box in the side of the car, as shown, with anupwardlyprojecting ledge covering its lower part, leaving room above forthe insertion of the hand. It is designed as a place in which to depositsmall articles of dress or ornament which the sleeper does not wish tokeep on his or her person while lying down.

In connection with the upper threefold berth-frame (though a four ormore fold frame may be employed as its mechanical equivalent) anysuitable means may be employed for keeping the folds in a horizontalposition when employed, means for such purpose being well known in theart; and where this threefold frame is used, as I prefer to use it, inconnection with a lower berth-platform composed of seats and backs, thelower edge of the recess A should be about even with but not much belowthe upper face of the lower berth-platform so made, as shown in Fig. l;and, in order to hold the folded sections securely in place in therecess A as against any longitudinal motion which might make a rattle orunpleasant noise, as well as to guide them accurately into the recesses,slats h may be added to the diaphragms or partitions b as guides andbearings to the posts c when down. As an additional support to theseat-backs the upper edge of each may be provided with a cleat, o, whichmay rest upon the top edge of the partition b.

1 claim herein as my invention- 1. In combination with a lower berthplatform or frame composed of seats and backs, a threefold upper berthplatform or frame and a recess beneath the car windows adapted to itsreception, substantially as set forth.

2. The pocket d in the bottom of recess A, substantially as set forth.

3. The bars g sliding longitudinally out and in on Xed guides or ways inthe seat-frames, so as to bridge over the space between facing seats, incombination with the seats B and side rails, substantially as set forth.

4. The inclined cleats s and hinged extensions s' attached to aseatback, in combina tion with supporting side rails or ledges,substantially as described.

5. The cleats c el e2, in combination with seat ami foot-board, arrangedsubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD ROBINSON.

'itnesses:

FRANK RAHM, JN0. Il. PUHL,

